Spreadsheet file versions
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The GenStat spreadsheet file (GSH) format has been extended for each new version of GenStat in order to include the latest features. Unfortunately this creates compatibility problems when data are exchanged between different versions of GenStat. However, changes to the format have been designed to minimize these problems. In particular, GSH version 3 includes spare capacity which can be used by later versions of GenStat when additional features are added. These spare items are ignored when reading in earlier versions, and set to default values when written by an earlier version.

A multi-paged book (GWB) format is available from the ninth edition onwards. This format allows multiple spreadsheets to be saved within the same file. In addition to this the ability to compress GSH formats is available from the ninth edition onwards (controlled using the spreadsheet options).

To minimize problems when sharing data between different GenStat versions, the Save As menu allows you to specify the format to be used. Thus it is always possible to save a GSH file in an older format.

Compatibility between file versions and GenStat editions is summarised in the following table:

 
GenStat Edition
 FirstSecondThird - EighthNinth - Twelfth
GSH Version 1••••
GSH Version 2•••
GSH Version 3 ••
GSH Version 3 (Compressed)
GWB Version 1 •

The multi-paged GWB and compressed GSH formats are not backwards compatible and can only be used in the ninth edition or later. For backwards compatibility with earlier versions of GenStat spreadsheets will need to be saved individually using the GSH version 3 (uncompressed) format. If you need to save data in a form that can be read by the First or Second edition you should save it in version 1 or 2 as appropriate.

The maximum length for a factor label was increased from 40 to 60 characters in the tenth edition. Opening tenth edition onwards GSH files with labels greater than 40 characters will result in warnings in earlier versions of GenStat, but the file will still open.

The maximum length of a text was increased from 60 to 90 characters in the third edition, and to a user specified maximum (less than 10000) in the tenth edition. Opening tenth edition GSH and GWB files with texts greater than 60 or 90 characters long will result in warnings in earlier versions of GenStat, but the file will still open.

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